Demos was named the royal scribe and chronicler of King Rapheth Khalit ka Dahlan, known as King Rapheth, on that day and he began his work immediately. He was given the Book of Histories, unfinished and always being added to, in order for him to begin his work. This book would eventually lead to his writing one of the great religious history books of the ages and also the divinely inspired books, The Third Book of the Kings and The Fourth Book of the Kings of the Holy Aishanna.
When he arrived home he told his wife of this great honor and that she must not be too attached to her home as they may have to leave it one day and follow the king and his court to Assenna.
"Whatever God and king wills, we will do." Was her word on the matter. Kaisha was now pregnant though it did not yet show. And she glowed all of the time. After they built their home it became a haven for those sick and ailing who needed medicine of any sort as they had also set up a medicinal apothecary attached to the house and had hired two former slaves from Egi to help them run it. Finding out that there were some who specialized in removing slave tattoos, Demos took advantage of this and set up a network with these men so that any slaves running from Egi could start a new life in Rhuctium, all of which had the blessing of the throne. Kaisha's name was growing as a reverent woman who was also a midwife and one who had some knowledge of herbs for medicines. And Demos besides being the royal scribe made a new friend of the one named Shukala who not only known as a courageous warrior in the army but was also the royal cartographer. He was going his way south to bring up his new bride, a woman he was betrothed to long ago.
Their combined knowledge of Demos's alchemy background, which he took the opportunity to tend and grow through his access to the library and Kaisha's knowledge of what she learned at the citadel, they became known as great healers in the city as well as generous to the downtrodden. Eventually, they had eleven strong children, many of them becoming talented White Alchemists and a few who became excellent scribes in their own right.
And Demos later became one of the most well-known scribes and chroniclers of the Second Dawn of the Red Kingdom.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Medulla the slave-girl of God told these visions to the people: "And he will raise up a glorious kingdom and Hybron shall shine again and there will be peace and the peoples will prosper under the Hand of God. And Assenna, the beautiful city, the great city will rise up like a woman who is crowned queen."
- Book of the Women
Month of Zali, 1702 A. T. V.
My dear father, Ilim Gulin na-Shayin,
All that you've said, all that you've prophesied has come true for me and for the land. All that the First Pillar has said, not one of the good words that came forth from Him were untrue. Come, I say to you, as you are one of the last men of the priestly families of Hybron and you must preside over the temple in Rhuctium until the rebuilding of the temple in Assenna, when the old city itself will be rebuilt. I have had a dream from Airend-Ur and He has instructed me in this: I am appointing you High Priest of the new priesthood to preside over the temple. My mother and your friend Lady Zigal, the queen mother, awaits you at the royal palace as do I and many others who greatly desire to see the Prophet. There are many important books for you to consider, such as the Book the Women. The new royal scribe Demos has the oversight of having this recopied and added back into the revised Holy Aishanna. My bride has just arrived from the citadel. I hear you now reside there. Come, for I desire to see you and give you this honor. Our family awaits, my father.
May peace be upon you my father and may it guide all your steps as it always has.
Your son,
Rapheth
When Ilim had finally arrived into Rhuctium he had arrived in a large comfortable litter. Mother Berenice had seen to that. He had brought many scrolls up with him from the citadel, and his book. His heart lept when he saw the name of Demos in the letter. It had been so many years since he had seen or heard from the boy he'd thought dead. He now had another spiritual son. Zigal, dressed in fine linens and veils and head mantle was one of the first to greet him, with an olive branch in her hand. Many people either had olive branches or kata flowers. Normally, he would never go in for such displays but this was a special time. The end of an era and the beginning of another one. The feeling was of celebration. So Ilim did not grumble.
"So you are a great lady now?" He grinned, a rare thing for the prophet. Zigal, rarely smiled herself but she could not help it now.
"I am and what of it? I deserve it, after all I have been through. I will not turn it down and that is beside the matter. I am glad to see you also, Ilim," she said with a slight rebuke in her voice.
"I am glad to see you too, my sister. It has been too long but the day has finally arrived. We do have a problem."
"Oh?"
"Some are speaking against the new bride as queen, saying she is too old, too wild, too unrefined. Some even feel that the king should have married the young queen of Zapulia."
"I have heard that some speak against her. Fortunately, they have not let me hear them say it, else they would get a rebuke full of fire!" Zigal's smile disappeared.
"I raised her to be a reverent woman, as did Mother Berenice! How dare they say such things! What does the king say about all this nonsense?"
"He says he will marry her though he has not laid eyes upon her. He was always a good son."
"True. If Airend-Ur were against it, we would have known of it before now. Pah! Too old! How ridiculous! A woman in the desert can have children until she is near sixty years!" He said.
"It is how people are, Ilim. They are ready to clap a woman into dotage as soon as her first wrinkle appears." Ilim gave her a rather sheepish look.
"I used to be one of those people, Zigal."
"I know," she gave him a knowing look. "But your son has something of your cantankerousness about him. He will not listen to them at all on the matter."
"Thank God! In that he is much like his blood father. Willful but in this case, for a good reason."
"So what brings you here from Gamina?"
"Solemn proceedings, spiritual matters. The king has said that I should be appointed the High Priest." Zigal's face broke into another smile.
"It is about time we had a decent High Priest around here."
"I only hope that I can fulfill my vow for as long as I am able."
"You will,” she said. She gazed upon him approvingly. "Little Rafka," she said wistfully.
Little Rafka. Ilim thought as they helped him down from the litter. I have not heard that name in so long. Yes, little Rafka has grown up.
When Ilim had finally arrived at the palace he was taken to the temple, still in disrepair but a new altar had been rebuilt to the First Pillar. Ilim was given a breastplate of ruby and star rock that mirrored the scepter and an ephod of kata flowers and a great white turban with a ruby affixed in it and all acknowledged him as the new High Priest. He inaugurated the old ways, he and Zarhaz and other newly appointed priests, after they read over the Holy Writings with the king.
The king gathered the people together before him from all over Hybron, those who were able to make the journey to Rhuctium, and they had a celebration marking the return of peace in the land. It echoed an ancient celebration under the first Red King called Ingathering. which was celebrated for seven days but the king rejoiced so much that he extended it to seven more days. Each morning the people gathered for Morning Prayer, to the call of the ram's horn and at each night they gathered for Night Prayer and never did anyone hear such fervent or sincere prayers from the king and all the people. There came to be a great rejoicing in Rhuctium at Ingathering, for from the days of Kaiga I there was none like it.
But after all the celebration and ceremony Ilim wanted most to talk to his son and to see Demos. In the Blue Palace, as it was being called until a proper royal palace could be built, he saw them both together.
"Demos! What happened to you? You look very image of health, my son!"
"Many, many things, my father" Said Demos, bowing to him.
"Do not bow to me, Demos!" They embraced for a long time.
"He has had a great journey and a great story to tell." Said Rapheth. "We all do."
"I will be glad to see you in the temple again Demos!" Said Ilim. And Demos told Ilim of all his trials and tribulations and victories far into the night.
The next morning Ilim awoke to hear that the bridal party had finally arrived from Lirumsha after having stopped in villages and towns on their way to the city.
"I say again, Your Supernal Greatness, she is too old. How do you know that she can bear sons?"
"I say I will hear no more of your cries about her supposed infertility. I will hear no more of it! That is enough of you!" Warned King Rapheth to one of his councilors, a man unknown to Ilim. Ilim scowled at the man but said nothing. But later he wrote a letter to admonish the king on the matter:
Your Greatness,
I write to you as a proud father writes to a loving son. Some of these councilors are unknown to me and on the matter of the queen I feel they are speaking against Divine Purpose. It is not just political alliances and matters that you must see to, but to the spiritual matters, as your mandate is from Above. I remember all the wondrous things you said were revealed to you in the Cave of Forever. Including the holy sword given to you. You made a vow to God in that holy place and I ask you to stand good for your vow and your name in regards to her. Your kingly father was given a godly queen and he cast her aside at the behest of evil councilors. Do not you do that way, my son. Remember the matter of Tuvorok! Trust and follow the way of Divine Purpose and it will go well with you.
May peace be within you,
Ilim Gulin na-Shayin
The king's affairs generally were not his business, nor the business of any priest unless directed by God to council him. But he had the responsibility to warn the king and the court of wayward behavior. He was confident that Rapheth would do what was right. In his heart he was finally settled in that Rapheth would be an excellent king. Besides, he was happy to see his spiritual children all here in Rhuctium. When Anet was brought before the king she did look wild - like a wild and beautiful desert flower, yet, she exuded an air of wizened confidence. If she was afraid no one saw it except Ilim, who could pick up on the hidden emotions of others. He felt her tremor of nervousness but her brash strength and sincere heart and spirituality he felt also. This is what will win out.
To the king, her beauty stood out as untamed and bold. She was darker than most high class women in the city, that look of the browned, bronzed desert women which pleased him as he had been bronzed himself from his time in the desert and he now looked more like a hardened tribal man. He no longer had the fair complexion of his mother. The wedding was held the next day, as the king bade the people to stay to celebrate with him, in which now there was even more joy to be had as the Red King had a queen.
Zarhaz, now a priest himself, sent the bride a small box of her family heirlooms; the lapis lazuli and ivory family seal of the kata flower and her father's initials, the silver ring set with the black pearl and white pearl and the clay tablet deed of the family house that had burned in the fire. These also helped bolstered her worthiness in the eyes of the some at the court as to her family origins. Through the records in the library and from both the High Priest's and Zarhaz's word, her family name was known to be noble on her father's side and her mother's. She was of the House of Kuyin and the House of Seht. That the king and queen both were branches of that noble stock in Egi was astonishing to the people because the name of Seht was poisonous. It seemed an unbelievable thing for the sun to have risen in these two. But through them, the line of Red Kings was now recovered and restored.
. . .
The king now began in earnest, tearing down the most violent and bloody temples and altars to the darkest gods in the land of Hybron. The arenas in the other cities were not numerous and he dedicated them to a new thing he enjoyed and brought with him from Rurria; theater and plays. He encouraged this in the land. Chariot races were allowed and camel races but the blood sports were outlawed and most who loved these fled the land in his coming wake so those left were those not inclined to see the rending of flesh as mere entertainment. More gentle people, those of more sanguine disposition and those who wanted to see the return of the older ways had remained. He then commanded and had a memorial raised for Queen Diti Nutal, daughter of Nutal Aneshu, of the family of Aneshu. He made alchemy lawful and dedicated schools to White Alchemy and Gold Alchemy. Black was banned under pain of death but the White and Gold were welcomed and delegates from Egi and even as far away as Pallinona, Funda and Rurria had come; these were alchemists who came to see this new kingdom and to see about opening trade relations and the flowering of knowledge. At the urging of the queen the old schools for girls and women formerly built by his mother were reopened to educate girls and women in the law, all the histories and the arts as well. The scions of the citadel at Queen Anet's behest were welcomed into the land again and the king eagerly sought them and their knowledge of materia medica and history. They were welcomed at court and they helped institute these schools throughout the land for the great flowering.
"It is good to my eyes. Let the Great Work begin." Said the king.
. . .
The king was away with his councilors for the threat was brewing on the southern border again. The queen was now reclining in one of her private chambers with her long lost friend Kaisha. Dressed in a simple white silk and linen wrap dress, her hair was piled upon her head in silver rings and lapis lazuli. Her hair, thick and unruly was barely contained but looked glorious just the same. Kaisha let hers run loose.
"I cannot even believe how we ended up. When will you go to the ruins?"
"Not too soon. Perhaps in a year. It depends upon how serious this threat is from King Kufun. The entire House of Juta may have to be dealt with. But there, in Assenna, is where the true great work will begin. You know, I never thought I would champion anything of the serpent queen.
"What a dark time that was."
"Yet, she did do something worthwhile and lasting. All the schools for girls she inaugurated I suggested to the king to reopen for the education of girls once again. It is her legacy and a good one. I had her ashes brought to me from the family crypt in Egi. In this ossuary here." She pointed to the small limestone ossuary on the table.
"The once feared serpent queen. You do her much honor. Honor she would never have given you, Anet."
"I know. But she is dead so I have nothing to fear from her any longer. What is right does not depend upon what others do or will not do." Kaisha nodded.
"True. Mother Berenice's words."
"Besides, she was my family. Of my blood. She hated the Reshaim, you know. All of the Sehts did, except my mother. My mother was the rebellious one in the family."
"What did she do?"
"I found out that she wanted to know more about the Red Kings. She was even proud of them. They hated her for it. She ran way and married a minor nobleman, one beneath her, so they cut her off as if she were dead. She was the eldest sister. Queen Taliat was the youngest." She reached for the small box beside the ossuary and opened it.
"I still cannot believe that woman was part of your family."
"Hmmm. These things here are what is left of my family name and legacy. I found out finally who I really am, Kaisha, where I came from. My mother came here with my father to live in Hybron. She was branded as a rebel for entering the Golden Temple. My parents were generous to the poor and helped many in the community. One day their house was burned down by the Ainash. An old priest named Eliaz rescued me and gave me to the sisters at the citadel. Father Eliaz rescued these from the fire and kept these family heirlooms. That is how I arrived here, in this world." The queen fell silent, fingering the objects in her hands. Kaisha said nothing. She still had nothing but a few threads of information about her own heritage. All she really knew was that sh
e was a child of rape.
"I did not have such an illustrious background," she said quietly.
"Your child will. All of them." Said Anet. She touched her friend's belly.
"How does it feel to now be a queen consort? You always turned up your nose at marriage when we were girls!" She teased Anet.
"Well? How does it feel for you?" Anet asked playfully.
"I am the happiest of women. I was not in love with him at first but I liked him very much. It grew into the love we have now."
"I remember vaguely there was another. Oh yes, the handsome Lord Hazad."
"Do not mention him because I do not wish to speak ill of the dead. He died unhappy in all his misery and would have dragged me down with him!"
"Then I will speak his name no more, my lady!"
"But you know, Anet, I had always thought that you had a great destiny while I had nothing. I'd always dreamed of marriage because I thought there was nothing else. I am still married, but to the right person this time. And my life took me into places I'd never dreamed of."
"I too was taken to places I'd never dreamed of - and to places I did dream of. In this world one never knows where they are required to walk before the walk is done."
The city night was breezy. Kata flowers bloomed everywhere and their sweet fragrance was like a balm. A small brazier burned with a rare incense.
"What is scent that mingling with the flowers out there?"
"It is Balsam oil incense. The sacred balm. The king found a thicket of commiphora and balsam trees in the forest, near Uzimor. He declared it a holy place and had balsam oil extracted from them. They are not to be touched, they are so rare. It gives rest to the heart and mind."
Red World Trilogy Page 118
